Chihiro
by Featherofstars
Summary: Six years have past since the week in the spirit world. A lot has changed for Chihiro. What will happen when Haku comes back from the spirit world to tell Chihiro that she is needed again?
1. Believing

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Spirited Away or any of the characters (Except the cat). If I owned Spirited away, Haku would have kissed Chihiro.

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My name is Chihiro. To my friends, I am known as Sen. But where I was at the moment, I was Chihiro. I would always be Chihiro here, whether I liked it or not.

After I left the spirit world, things changed a lot. My parents were admitted into an insane asylum when they finally started to remember what had went on that week. I began to see lost spirits, wanting into the spirit world, everywhere I went. Some looked like No-face, others like Lin, and still more like the people on the train. And Haku haunted my every living moment. Plagued my thoughts. Dominated my dreams. Before I had graduated from school, I had made very few friends. I was distant from people, lost in thought. Always the girl sitting in the corner during break with her head buried in a book about spirits, or dragons, or a sketchbook, drawing Haku. Again and again and again.

After I'd graduated, I went back to live at the house near the spirit gate. I was thirteen or fourteen when my parents were admitted into the asylum, so I had to go live near the Kohaku river with my aunt. But after I turned sixteen, I took my parents car and went to live back at the house on top of the hill. Every weekend I spent a few hours at the spirit gate, painting it. I circled around it time and time again, but there was nothing. It was just an old plaster gate. There was no opening at all.

I lived off of the money I'd made from my paintings. Mostly the ones of the spirit world, since they were the most realistic, even if some of them were a little frightening. The only people who ever spoke to me, and rarely, at that, were the art collectors. My cat spoke to me all the time, but she didn't count because usually what she wanted was food.

On a very drab evening about six or seven years after we'd moved to the town near the spirit gate, I was sketching an outline of a dragon I was so sure was Haku. I smiled as I drew, thinking over what I'd done the previous day.

**I remembered taking off my shoes and socks, and dipping my feet gently into the river. I swung my legs absentmindedly. The water rippled around my feet and continued on its way, running down the path it had cut out centuries earlier, on its way to the ocean. Anyone who had stumbled upon me would have thought I was crazy.**

** "Hey, Haku," I whispered, smiling as the sun overhead beamed down warmth on everything below. Me, Haku's river, the grass, the earth. "I miss you."**

** I laid back and looked at the fluffy white clouds in the air. It fely good to get away from all the chaos lately. I wondered if I'd ever see Haku again. The last memory of Haku rang through my head.**

_**"Will we meet again sometime?"**_

_** "Sure we will."**_

_** "Promise?"**_

_** "Promise. Now, GO! And don't look back!"**_

** I smiled at the memory of Haku's voice. His voice always made me smile. The world was silent except for the soft noise of the laughing, bubbling river that hurried to the ocean. **

** I stayed until it got dark, talking to the river. Talking to Haku. Then, when it got cold, I took my feet out of the river, bade goodbye to the river and went back to my car. Drove home. When I got out of the car and was putting my key into the lock, I heard the wind whisper through the trees.**

** "Sen..."**

I finished the sketch and stared at it. It looked breathtakingly like Haku. I didn't touch it, put down my pencil, and then went into the kitchen to get something to eat. I made some sushi, and gave a little fish to the cat, who purred gratefully and rubbed against my legs. Wanting more. I threw away the used chopsticks and went up to my room, closing the door behind me. I picked up the book I had been reading earlier and continued it.

_A man from the hunting party- a younger man, by the looks of it, walked out of the closet cave and came over to me. His eyes were dark and hard. "Come," He grunted. He started to walked away. I stayed where I was. What was he trying to do? Kill me? Take me to Rebel prison? He pivoted and looked back at me. "Are you hungry?" He asked, "Or do people not eat anymore?"_

_ I opened my mouth to reply but the man just repeated, "Come."_

_ I got up from the ground and followed him into the cave. It was warmer here, and lighter, though the entrance was dark. There was a curve in the path and a huge fire suddenly danced in the middle of what looked like a gathering hall. There were mixed, quiet conversations around the room, and people coming and leaving from different tunnels. _

_ "Sit," The man ordered. I sat. "Not there," the man sighed, pointing to the ground next to the wall. "There." I sat next to the wall. "Stay." The man went off down one of the corridors and came back with a bowl of something warm._

_ Is it poisoned? I almost asked, but reminded myself not to, in case they hadn't come up with a good way to kill me yet._

_ "Eat," the man ordered. I scarfed down the food, which turned out to be a stew, and handed the man back the bowl._

_ "Thank you," I said meekly._

_ "Another time," the man replied, getting up and walking off down another corridor. I didn't move, didn't want the Rebels to see me, know I was there, laugh at me and act uncivilized. So I just stared into the dancing flames of the fire and fell asleep._

_ I woke up in the darkness. The fire was gone. No one was in the room. I got up and suddenly thought, I could escape if they're all asleep. I stumbled down the dark corridor to the entrance._

_ The moon bathed everything outside in silver light. Every blade of grass had a small, dark shadow. I hoped the night sentries were asleep, then stepped out into the clearing. _

_ Nothing. No one warned me to go back. There was no one. I crossed the clearing quickly, then looked back to see if any one had followed me. No one._

_ I turned around and almost screamed. I would have if the man hadn't put his hand over my mouth._

_ "Going somewhere?" He asked. His dark eyes were almost amused. I shook my head. Not now, anyway._

_ "You should be sleeping," The man continued. "Or do you sleep better in the trees?" He took me back into the cave. Instead of leaving me in the gathering hall, he led me down the opposite corridor. He was taking me to rebel prison. He had to be. I shut my eyes, not wanting to see what horrors awaited me just yet. He took his hand off my mouth._

_ "Moon," The man hissed. I opened my eyes and a torch was lit. an older man wrapped in fleece blankets sighed and blinked sleepily._

_ "Night, I TOLD you NOT to bring outsiders into our camp. We have enough mouths to feed as it is. What are you going to do with HER?" Moon replied._

_ "She ran into one of our hunting parties!"_

_ "You were on the path?"_

_ "Well...yes, but-"_

_ "Do you know what would have happened if one of the Lords strolled into you on the path? They would have taken you in to be interrogated so they could-"_

A sound from downstairs made me jump and I put my book down.

It sounded like someone trying to get through the living room.

I walked to my door, shaking. Scared. "H-Hello?" I asked carefully. "I-is anyone there?" I walked down the stairs and turned on the light, armed with the book I had just been reading. My cat meowed at me from over on the couch, where one of my easels had been pushed over.

"Great," I mumbled. "Thank you, Zjinn. Just what I needed." I picked up the easel and went back upstairs. I shut my door and decided to just sleep.

Outside, I did not notice a pair of familiar green eyes belonging to a familiar boy with black hair watching me from the trees, wondering whether or not it was a good time to reveal himself to me.

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Do you like it? This is my first time doing something like this so please review!

Much appreciated!


	2. Sadness

This is the second chapter! Hope you like it! Enjoy! Please review! Thanks! :)

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Haku overshadowed my dreams.

I wished he was there.

I missed him so bad.

I woke up the next day and yawned. I got dressed, ate a random box of cereal, got in my car, and drove.

I passed the turnoff for the Kohaku river and sighed. As much as I'd liked to have gone, I had other things to attend to. My parents were expecting me today.

I was still trying to push any thoughts of Haku away when I came to a dead stop on the freeway. Horns honked around me as the traffic inched forward slowly.

_If Haku were only here, _I thought, then smiled. If he was here, in the vicinities of traffic, people would stare. But Haku...

I pushed him out of my thoughts, or at least, tried to. My parents would try to get me to slip up. To help them get out of the asylum. Or to get me in there with them. To prove that they weren't crazy. I couldn't let that happen. Because if I did, my parents would want to go back to the spirit world. To expose it. And I couldn't let that happen.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I was not going to give way to anything my parents said, even if it was all true.

The traffic finally let up and I arrived late to the asylum.

I tried a last time to clear my head of Haku and the spirit world as I walked down the hallway to my parents quarters.

"Chihiro!" My mother crooned as she looked up from trying to escape her straitjacket. "Did they find the gate?"

I smiled politely and tried not to think of Haku for four and a half hours. Haku did not exist. Haku did not exist. Haku did not exist.

Five hours later, I got back in my car. Turned on the ignition and drove to Haku's river.

The moon was hanging in the sky by the time I had gotten out of my car and dipped my feet into the water with a sigh of relief.

"Wish you were here, Haku," I murmured.

The rippling water didn't answer me. Just continued on its way to the ocean.

The moon cast a silver light on the water and the grass visible. Almost like being outside in the morning.

My watch beeped to signal midnight and I groaned. As much as I didn't want to go, I had to. I took my feet out of the water, slipped my feet into my shoes and walked slowly to the car.

I slammed the door shut and stayed there for a minute, trying to persuade myself to leave.

I turned the car on and sighed. I didn't want to drive home. I just wanted to stay there all night and pretend Haku was there with me.

And as a split second choice, I turned the car off and took off my seatbelt. Locked the car doors just in case, and got into a comfortable position. Fell asleep.

I dreamed of the test Yubaba had given me. Except it wasn't my parents I was looking for. It was Haku. And there were so many pigs.

I knew I was having a nightmare. But it seemed inescapable And I was struggling so hard to get out of the horrible experience.

I suddenly felt happy and calm. I looked beside me.

He was just as I'd remembered him. He was still wearing the same white shirt and the same blue pants.

His green eyes tore into mine, choking me up and sent an arrow straight through my heart.

"Haku," I choked out. And before my very eyes, he smiled at me, and like sand, blew away in the wind.

"Haku," I heard myself whimper out loud.

And shockingly, I almost thought I heard Haku reply in his warm tone of voice, "_I'm right here._"

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Thanks for reading! I'll get the next part done as soon as I can!


	3. Believibility

Here's chapter three! Enjoy!

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I woke up with Haku's last words still echoing in my mind. I felt slightly chilled as I remembered that I had spent the night in my car next to the river. I remembered when they'd took down all the apartments after no one had rented them and put the river back in. The day it happened, I felt like Haku had found his way home finally. I yawned and turned the car back on. Zjinn was probably yowling by now. I hadn't been home to feed him in over eighteen hours.

I looked out my rear view mirror as I backed up, and headed down the gravel road. As I looked to my left to turn onto the road, I saw something to my right move slightly and I turned to look.

Met his eyes.

Felt mine widen in surprise.

"Haku!" I gasped. He smiled.

"Did you doubt that I would come?" He asked.

"N-no," I stuttered, staring into his green eyes. "I would never doubt you. You promised."

"How did you know I would keep my promise if I was just a thieving dragon according to Zeniba?"

"We established the last time that I saw you that you were good," I whispered. Memories and thoughts meshed together and ran through my mind like a train. I felt my breath leave me as it actually hit me. Haku was _HERE. _

"Are you going to go home, or are you just going to sit here staring at me all day?" Haku asked.

"Oh," I whispered, embarrassed, "right." I felt my face turn red.

Haku laughed.

"How are you here?" I finally asked, as we drove down the freeway.

"Well, I went through the spirit gate, and just like you were in the spirit world, no one could see me. I was becoming a ghost. So I pulled a fruit off the tree and ate it so I wouldn't fade away.

It was the best desicion I ever made, coming here," He smiled. "I love you, Chihiro."

I almost put him through the windshield as I slammed on the brakes.

"But, Haku, you CAN'T!"

He looked confused as he asked, "Why not?"

"Because my parents are in an insane asylum. They remembered everything. And if I suddenly start to tell them abot you...Or if they get out someday and learn about you...You are the proof that they aren't crazy. And they can't-"

"They'd exploit the spirit world," Haku groaned, leaning back and shutting his eyes painfully. "Wonderful. Just what the spirits DON'T need."

"Don't you see, Haku? You CAN'T love me. It wouldn't work."

Haku suddenly sat up straight, smiling slyly. "I have an idea," He murmured. "Drive home. Quick."


	4. Back

Speed never seemed so accessible, I thought as I raced down the freeway on my way home. Haku kept telling me to drive faster until I was reaching speeds of beyond 120 down the freeway. I eased on the brakes when I neared my house, but Haku only told me to keep going.

"What?" I asked.

Haku smiled. "Trust me," he said.

I continued to drive past the fork in the road and kept going. Speeding toward the spirit gate. Haku smiled, pleased at his idea, and I stomped on the brakes and avoided hitting the small spirit stone that my father had almost hit years ago. Haku got out of the car and told me to follow him.

"But-" I protested.

"Chihiro, you'll be fine. I promise we won't end up at the bath house this time. You'll end up on the spirit side of my river," Haku urged. "I love you, and I want to love you. The only place to do that is in the spirit world where you don't have to worry about your parents trying to get themselves out of the asylum. I love you, Chihiro." He walked me through the tunnel. The tunnel that years ago, I did not want to explore. But now I held fast to Haku, like I was going to lose the Dragon boy at any second and I would never see him again. Like I would open my eyes and he would be gone.

"I won't leave you," Haku chuckled as he held me closer.

I buried my head in the back of his shirt as we arrived at the other end of the tunnel. Haku muttered as he stumbled on a river rock. I gave a muffled sound of fear. "Don't worry. Nothing is wrong."

"I'm not scared," I said, until I remembered how last time I was going to fade away until Haku gave me something to eat.

"Not this time," He whispered, pinning me onto the ground and staring into my eyes as I squealed, "WHAT? But I'll disappear!" I struggled to get away from him, but his grip was like steel. I groaned as he sat down on my legs and stared me in the eyes unhappily.

"Stop," he told me, but I continued to try to get free of his grip. "No you won't," He continued calmly, staring into my eyes and mentally trying to get me to stop struggling. "You'll become a spirit. Like me. Stop it!"

"I-I will?" I stuttered, unbelieving. I stopped struggling and Haku got up.

Haku nodded. "Yes."

"Why didn't you let me become a spirit last time?"

"Because of your parents," Haku explained. "I promise, it won't hurt a lot. And besides, being a spirit is a lot more fun than being a human."

"But I don't WANT to be a spirit!" I cried, and Haku looked at me sadly.

"Chihiro, you are here now. I don't have any other choice-"

"You could become a human," I whispered, trying to process everything Haku was telling me.

"No, Chihiro, I cannot become a human. Because I am already a spirit. If I try to become a human, I will fade away from all existence."

"Haku-"

"Chihiro, we NEED you in the spirit world. Nothing has been the same since you left. The Yellow Sea spirit and the Yangtze River Spirit are at war. Zeniba and Yubaba had to go and try to solve it. Nothing has worked. Chihiro, PLEASE. We really need your help. If you don't help us, the spirit world could collapse."

I felt guilt overtake me.

"But, I can go back, can't I?" I asked quietly. Haku sat down next to me, pulling up grass.

"There won't be much for you to go back to," He pointed out. "You could just stay here with me for the rest of forever."

"What about my house, and my parents and my cat-?"

"The cat discovered the outside yesterday. He'll be fine. Your parents won't know if you moved because you changed your last name, remember? They only know you are Chihiro. Your house will be fine. Someday, someone will buy it and keep your artwork. And you can stay here. You see, Chihiro?"

I looked down at my hands, which almost weren't there anymore, then back up at Haku, who smiled reassuringly. I breathed in deeply. Told myself there was no other way. I loved Haku, I really did, but I didn't want to leave my home.

"We can visit it whenever you want to in the spirit world," Haku whispered.

"'But I want to visit it in the _human _world!" I protested.

"Chihiro," Haku shook his head, "It's almost too late. "

I looked down at my hands. Or, I should say, the ground.

I felt a sudden burst of energy and knowledge enter me. I breathed deep and I closed my eyes.

"Chihiro, calm down," Haku said carefully. I opened my eyes and saw that I was visible again.

Haku hugged me and smiled. "Welcome to the REAL spirit world," He whispered into my ear, then kissed me gently.

Best experience ever.

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Please Review! thanks!


	5. Warning

Sorry about the short chapters. Writers block sucks. :P Thanks for reviewing!

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I was mighty. I was powerful. I was a dragon.

The wind roared past my ears as Haku and I flew through the air. Clouds seemed like puny, fluffy unsuspecting victims as we tore holes into them.

"Slow down, Chihiro," Haku laughed.

I didn't slow down. I was too excited, too happy, too anxious to even consider slowing down. I wanted to get there fast, and the clouds weren't even a roadblock in my way.

Haku saw the bath house from a ways off, and groaned, "Chihiro, why do you need to come here?"

I landed on the ground and felt my feet come back. Actual feet. I looked up at the sky, never once thinking it would be what it had just been-smooth, quick transport to a place I thought I would have never seen again.

It felt like home, to be back in the spirit world. Like I belonged there. Like I had lived there my whole life. And being a spirit, now, I _DID _belong there and I always would. Haku raced next to me happily as I ran laughing, through the streets leading to the bath house. I wanted to catch the train and go to Zeniba's to see No-Face. But I had to go visit everyone at the bath house, first. I was bursting with energy as I raced down the stairs that led to boiler room, Haku trailing behind me closely.

I yanked open the door and Haku grabbed the back of my hoodie as I walked forward, stopping me.

"It's not a good idea to go in there, Chihiro," Haku told me, his eyes full of worry.

"But what about Rin and Kamaji and Boh and...and...and...?" I replied, disappointed. Haku sighed and let go of me. "Chihiro, they won't remember you. They will remember Sen, the little human girl who worked here a long time ago to save her pig-parents from being eaten. You are Chihiro, not Sen. Do you understand me?"

"I will tell them that I am Sen," I argued, starting to walk into the boiler room. I could see the shadows that the soot made as they all carried the lumps of coal over to the fire.

Haku stepped in front of me, his eyes burning. "I will NOT let you degrade yourself to such a low title that was given to you by the owner and manager of a bath house who is currently not here!" He warned. Then he sighed and lowered his eyes, softening the tone in his voice. "You can go back when they open the bath house and come as a guest. Okay? I just don't want anything to happen to you. The workers at the bath house weren't happy when you got to go home and they were stuck with still working under Yubaba. They might hurt you...and if you are a guest, they cannot do anything to you but cater to you. And if I'm there, they won't try to do anything bad."

I felt a lump of fear form in my throat. "Rin wouldn't do that," I choked out.

"She had no other choice but to agree with the others or lose her job," Haku whispered fearfully, "Yubaba was not happy when you left, but she was furious when I left only hours later. She said anyone else who suddenly remembered their names could leave, but they were to never come back and anyone that they'd cared about-if their relatives worked there, or if their parents or relatives had been turned into pigs or other edible food products, they would be put to death. Rin didn't tell me she had any relatives or anyone she had cared about in the bath house mess Yubaba created, but she had to agree, though secretly, she was glad you'd gotten away safely. Her and Kamaji, and Boh and even Zeniba and No-face. And you can't go there, because I promised Zeniba that I would take care of you." He looked at me worried, trying to get me to understand. Pleading.

I could hear a new edge in Haku's voice. He wasn't the same Haku I had known years ago. Not the same Haku that had helped me when I'd fallen into his river, or the same one that helped me when I'd crossed over into the spirit world the first time. but Haku had never been the same after Yubaba had control of him-or so Kamaji had told me. Maybe he was usually like this. But instead of asking what was wrong with him and what he was so afraid of, I turned around promptly and left. Haku followed me back through the empty streets in the afternoon light, not saying anything. I sat down on the steps where I had left Haku years ago, next to the big, stone Spirit frog. I heard Haku sit down next to me, but I just looked out at the lake that once occupied the land that was once rolling valleys and Spirit rocks. The memory of the water my first night in the spirit world-and the boat-flitted quickly across my mind and I smiled briefly about how stupidly I had acted. How foolish I had been. "I was so stupid when I was little," I snickered. "Stupid and clumsy."

"You were ten," Haku said quietly next to me. "You didn't know."

I took off my shoes and socks, throwing them far away and watching them vanish. I dipped my feet into the water and Haku become tense next to me. "What are you doing?" He asked carefully.

"Not sure," I sighed, my feet swinging back and forth in the clear lake water.

"I-" Haku started, then stopped. He sighed and whispered, "Chihiro, please get your feet out of the water before the spirit becomes angry with you."

I slipped my feet out of the water quickly and dried them off in the dying sunlight. Haku gave me a pair of sandals as he returned from one of the shops. "Here," He said.

"I thought these were all restaurants," I muttered as I slipped on the sandals.

I stood up as Haku announced that we had to go back to his river. As he saw me perk up, he added, "The spirit side of the river. Sorry, Chihiro."

"Oh," I replied, "But I thought we were going to go-?"

Haku turned around and smiled at me. "We'll have to do that another time, Chihiro. Are you coming or what?" He turned around and dashed back to the river, as I followed him slowly back, my mind still stuck on why he had been so against me seeing Boh and Kamaji and Rin. I didn't see what was so wrong about wanting to see them. But i reluctantly trailed Haku back to his river. It was a beautiful place, with lilies growing along the riverbank, and the sun shining clearly into the river. It was so different in the spirit world. So...clean and...unpolluted. It was breathtaking. He smiled and said, "Now, _THIS _river, you can dip your feet into. I don't care. I do it all the time."

"I promise this time you won't have to save me," I teased.


	6. Truth

**Okay, I lied. I own the other River spirit in this chapter, too...not just the cat.**

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Haku watched me closely for the next few days, making sure I wasn't going to try to fly to the bath house. He didn't talk of the bath house at all, instead told me of the people he knew in the spirit world who were like me. Humans who had changed into spirits to be with the ones they loved. I sat and listened, occasionally staring at the water, watching it ripple as I stuck a finger into it. Haku didn't say anything about that. He didn't seem to care.

I wanted so badly to ask him what was so wrong. Why he was so distant. But I kept quiet. I would ask Kamaji and Rin and Boh when I went.

Haku seemed to know of my plan, and watched me every moment that he could. I tried not to think about it, certain that Haku could read my thoughts. I instead restrained myself to think only about Haku when he was around. He seemed slightly annoyed at times when he was around me, but at the same time, extremely, extremely happy. He was trying to make me feel happy. He brought me flowers whenever he could. He took me all over the spirit world-minus swamp bottom and the bath house...and the far east. Something was very wrong. I could feel it.

Finally, one night when Haku was asleep, I left and went to the bath house. I told myself that I'd be back by morning. That nothing was going to go wrong.

I ran down to the boiler room and threw open the door. I shut it quietly behind me. It was day, so Kamaji and Rin and everyone else were asleep. I tip-toed through the boiler room, past who I hoped was a sleeping Kamaji, and made my way through the bath house until I found the sleeping quarters that Rin and I had shared six years ago. I smiled. Sixteen and a spirit. Life had interesting turns in it...even if it wasn't life anymore.

"Rin!" I hissed quietly, walking around the room full of sleeping workers. "Rin!"

I found her on the other end of the room and shook her awake. She didn't look a day older than she had the last time I'd seen her. "Rin, wake up!"

"Sen?" She yawned sleepily, half awake.

"Yeah, it's me," I replied. Rin's mouth snapped shut mid-yawn and she looked at me in shock.

"What are you doing here?" she asked fearfully. "If anyone finds you, they'll boil you alive because you're-" A look of surprise overtook her face. 'You're a spirit?" she hissed. "When did that happen?"

"A few weeks ago," I whispered back calmly.

"Haku didn't-" she steamed. I nodded.

"That dragon is going to get roasted when I find him," she spat quietly. "But...why are you here?"

"I had to come and see you..and Kamaji and Boh..."

"Sen, it's not a good idea. If Yubaba even found out you were here, she wouldn't give a second thought that you were human. She'd turn you into a pig and have them roast you for dinner! You should go back."

"But-" I protested, then noticed the sun starting to sink. "I can visit?" I asked.

"Once in a while," Rin replied. "Just...be careful."

"I will, Rin, I promise," I said, and heard someone else yawn as they woke up.

"Get out of here," Rin urged, "NOW."

"But Rin-"

"Go!" she said, quietly, stubbornly. "Hurry!"

I ran back down to the boiler room and opened the door. I started across the room when a voice I did not recognize at all said, "Where are YOU going?"

I turned around to face a spirit who looked a lot like Haku, except older, much older, and wearing different clothes.

"H-home," I stammered, backing up.

"Who are you?" he asked coldly, staring me up and down, wondering if he'd seen me before.

"S-sen," I answered, "A-and you?"

"I am Kalan, the Kalan River Spirit. Why are you here?" he continued, "The bath house isn't even open yet. Why don't you wait in the other room for a while?"

I felt myself flying through the air into the room I'd just come out of, into a side room. A broom closet. I heard the lock shut with a click and I cried out "Wait! Please let me out! HELP! ANYONE!"

I heard Kalan laugh from the other side of the door, then heard him say darkly, "No one will save you. Not even my precious brother Haku."

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Please Review! thanks!


	7. Kalan

**ADVANCE APOLOGIES!**

**Sorry about...well...you'll see... **

**BUT PLEASE DON'T BE MAD AT ME! (It makes it a little more interesting, I promise!)**

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**"Haku," I cried, "You were right. Help me. Please!"  
He wouldn't hear me. Couldn't. He was back at his river, probably just waking up and realizing I was missing. No, not yet. He hadn't gotten up this early the past couple of days.

I slid to the floor in the tiny broom closet and cried quietly. I was against the door and the wall. I dwelled on what Kalan had said.

_"No one can save you. Not even my precious brother Haku."_

I stifled a sob. I couldn't accept what he'd said. I knew what he'd told me and I understood it, but I couldn't believe it.

I heard footsteps coming and I banged on the door, sobbing,"Help, Please! Somebody let me out!"

I heard Kalan laugh. "You think someone is ACTUALLY going to help you? I am the owner of the bath house now-after Yubaba left. Since Haku left, I have been her apprentice, and now I manage the bath house. And it looks like my hard work has paid off. I happened to actually have captured the love of my brothers life. And he'll be so frantic, looking for you, that the first place he'll come and look will be the bath house. But he'll never suspect I held you hostage in a broom closet."

"H-hostage?" I stammered. Kalan chuckled again. Like he had a private joke.

"Yes, _Chihiro, _hostage. And when Haku comes to save you, I will kill him. and then I will kill you. So, please, enjoy the rest of your short life. Because Haku is never going to see you again. Because he'll be dealing with me first." Kalan laughed, dark and cold. I bit my lip to stop myself from screaming at him, as tears ran down my face. I should have listened to Haku. Should have, would have, could have.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"My brother and I have never got along. He has always had first pick at everything. But after today, _I _will have the first pick. Because I won't have to worry about him anymore."

I heard Kalan walk away and I sobbed quietly. Haku was going to die because I was too stubborn to listen to him. Too stubborn. Too stupid. He'd known what had happened after Yubaba left. He'd warned me. And I hadn't listened. I was so stupid. I should have listened to him. Should have should have should have. But I hadn't.

Haku's POV

I woke up and stretched, smiling. As I rubbed my eyes sleepily and yawned, I looked to my left, to where Chihiro was. My mouth snapped shut mid-yawn. She wasn't there.

"Chihiro?" I asked loudly. Maybe she'd just gone to get something to eat. Maybe.

I stood up and whirled around. "Chihiro?" I asked, a little louder. No reply. I sat back down, groaning, closed my eyes, and rubbed my temples. Thought.

"Chihiro, please come out. I'll take you to the bath house if you really want to go. But please come out. I need to tell you why it's such a abd idea to go there. I have a brother. And his name is Kalan. He hates me. Despises me. Loathes me. Any word you can come up with for not liking me. After I left, he offered to step up and take my place as Yubaba's apprentice. She accepted, and when she had to go, she left Kalan in charge of the bath house. And I'm not saying we can't go because Kalan hates me, it's just that...I'm afraid that if the word gets around that Sen, the friend of Haku, came to visit the bath house and see everyone again, Kalan will try to hurt you."

There was no response. I searched for her mind, and when I found it, I was very surprised about what she was thinking.

_It's all my fault. Haku is going to die because I was too stubborn and too stupid to listen to him. I should have listened to him. Kalan is going to kill him. I'm so stupid! I should have listened to Haku! Even Rin said I shouldn't have been here!_

I was in the air in less than a minute, heading rapidly to the bath house.

_Kalan you better not have hurt her, _I thought, as I landed on the ground and forced my way into the bath house. No one was awake yet. I practically flew up the flights of stairs to Yubaba's old office, where I found Kalan leisurely awaiting me at her desk.

"I do believe I didn't hear you knock," he said stiffly. "Oh, KOHAKU, how are you? And how is the search for that...girl...coming?"

"Where. Is. She?" I demanded, my eyes burning, hatred for him flowing through my veins like water through both of our rivers.

"Who?" Kalan asked, acting clueless.

"Where. Is. She?" I asked again, furious that he thought I was so stupid. "Where is Chihiro?"

"OH," Kalan smiled slyly, suddenly "understanding" who I was talking about. "Her? I do believe the flock of Yu-birds outside much enjoyed that meal."

I snarled as I launched onto him, kicking and punching and biting and scratching him. Kalan just laughed. "You are so pathetic, Kohaku. I never thought you would give into violence so easily."

I felt something cold and slicing in my stomach and I felt like I couldn't breathe. Kalan pulled out the weapon he'd concealed from me and hissed, "I'm sorry, dear brother, but I have to go kill the love of your life now. Farewell."

I watched him saunter out of the room hatefully. I felt blood running through my fingers and onto the carpet. I grimaced.

The three heads jumped over to me, bouncing around and making loud noises. Telling me I had to go save Chihiro. "I...would," I groaned painfully, "...But...I...can't."

One of the heads rolled over a small clear vial full of blue liquid. One of Yubaba's healing potions. I grabbed it, groaned out a thank you, and popped off the top, chugging it down. I felt the cut close and heal.

I became my dragon form and dove down through the trap door in front of the fireplace. _I have to get to Chihiro before Kalan. Have to have to have to. It was my fault. I should have told her. _I snarled as I collided with the fan above the boiler room and crashed through the sliding door into the bath house. I could hear Chihiro sobbing somewhere quietly to herself. I found a small broom closet. and head butted against the door softly.

"Help! PLEASE!" Chihiro practically screamed on the other side of the door, then quieted. "Please!"

I became human again and tried to unlock the door, which was closed with magic. I cursed to myself under my breath and finally reverted to, "Please, door, please open. Open sesame? Abracadabra! Hocus Pocus. Alakazam? Please?"

I felt the magic lift after a minute or so, and heard the lock snick as it opened. Chihiro practically fell out of the closet into me. She looked up at me in surprise.

"Haku!" she sobbed, hugging me quickly. "We have to get out of here before-"

"Kalan. I know," I whispered. "I told you not to come here," I said, angry, before I saw Chihiro's sorry and sad expression.

"I-I was stupid. I should have known," She apologized. I smiled lightly.

From behind me, I heard Kalan's voice say, annoyed, "I THOUGHT I killed you, brother."


	8. The Offer

Kalan's POV

Where do I start? My life was easy before Kohaku came into my life, when his river wasn't even a trickle of a spring from our mothers lake. I was healthy and strong, People worshiped ME and ONLY me. I was the only river 400 years ago. Until Kohaku's little trickling spring became a full fledged river and people started to worship him because he was closer to civilization.

Soon enough, my river started to dry up, due to the villagers who thought it would please my brother to bring more water flowing into his river, thus cutting off my supply without a second thought. My mother, the Lake spirit, suggested that I make lemonade from lemons and told me to go find a job somewhere. I left my river to find a place in the spirit world to work, and when I found the bath house, I thought it was the perfect place to work.

Of course, what I didn't know, was that a little after I had left my river, Kohaku's had been filled in and been built on. He had also gone searching for work, and found the bath house quicker than I had, begging Yubaba for work. She gladly accepted and took his name. I was desperate, but when I saw that my brother was her apprentice, I turned on my heels as fast as I could and fled the area.

I searched out many powerful and mighty sorcery spirits, determined to get the better of my brother. One of them accepted to help me and gave me a job in order to lighten his heavy work load. He taught me many powerful binding spells, ones to harm people, and ones to help them. There was also one that allowed me to go into the human world safely.

One day, when my master was off on a long business trip, a witch named Yubaba came to visit. I opened the door and let her in. She looked at me in surprise and said, "Haku, how nice to see you again? Did you find...Chihiro?"

"Haku?" I asked, confused. "My name is Kalan. I know of no Haku's. I know a Kohaku-the Kohaku river is my brother."

"You are Kohaku's brother?" The witch asked. I nodded. She smiled.

"Would you like to come work for me? Haku left after some silly little human girl helped him to remember his name and he QUIT to go and find her. I need a worthy assistant and you, being Haku's brother, have a lot of potential. I promise, I won't even change your name. I feel your anger and jealousy for Haku. I know how badly you hate him. But _I _can help you get revenge on him. Trust me, I didn't like the bratty girl at all, and I didn't like that she helped Haku. What do you say, Kalan? I promise, I'll help you find your brother."

I stood, unbelieving at what the witch had just told me. "Is your master here?" she asked casually, as if what she had just said was nothing and it had never happened.

"N-no, ma'am," I stuttered, "He is away on a business trip."

"Oh," the witch sighed, disappointed, "Well, Kalan, if you may, please tell your master that I dropped by for a visit and have him invite me over for tea for a day when he comes back. I'll be waiting for your answer then. Good luck, Kalan, and I hope I will see you soon." She jumped out of the window and her cape became wings as she flew away into the coming night.

"Become her apprentice?" I asked myself quietly. _That might be a good idea._

_

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_Thanks for reading! Please Review!_  
_


	9. Alive

Chihiro's POV

I was afraid for Haku. I was afraid that I would never see him again. that Kalan would kill him for good and some to do off with me as well. The thought reoccurred over and over again in my mind. _Don't think that, _the rippling water seemed say, irritated that I would think Haku would break his promise. Hadn't he kept it before? I choked up as I wondered if that meant if he died, the next time I would see him would be in death after Kalan killed me.

_NO,_ I thought as I pushed it away. Haku would come back. Haku would come back. Haku would come back.

Hours passed and I became sadder and sadder. Haku was dead. I could feel it. After the moon came up again, I finally let out a sad, choked sob. Haku was dead. And it was all my fault. I should have listened to him.

I cried myself to sleep, finally convinced that Haku was dead and the next time I would see him was when I died.

I woke up when I heard something crashing through the trees. I was up on my feet and staring into the dark, trying to see whatever was in the area with me.

"Chihiro," Haku croaked as he stumbled forward, clutching his stomach. I gasped, rushing forward to catch him as he fell. He leaned on my shoulder as he groaned painfully.

"Are you okay?" I asked, worried.

"Just...a...cut," Haku winced, sitting down in the grass and moaning.

"Do you need help-?"

"NO!" Haku roared. I backed away. He groaned and mumbled, "Sorry. Help would...be...nice. It...just...hurts...a lot..."

I kneeled next to him, the moon hidden behind a cloud, and I felt his hands over his stomach. They were warm...and felt like warm water. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. He was bleeding. Badly.

"You'll be fine," I whispered calmly, glad the moon hid my panicking face. "Just relax...I'll go get some bandages and water."

Haku lifted his hand up to my face, the moon illuminating the meadow for a quick minute, quick enough for me to see his pain-filled, weakening smile, as he looked at me sadly.

"Haku you are NOT going to die on me. Do you understand me?" I barked, trying to keep him from fading away. "C'mon, Haku, talk to me! Tell me...tell me why Kalan doesn't like you."

"He's jealous," Haku steamed weakly. "He's always been jealous ever since my river was created. Jealous that I've had the best of everything. What he doesn't see is he had the best of everything too. He had a girl like you once...a human. And he loved her very, very much. But he was too cowardly and stupid to even think about making her a spirit to live with her forever. she loved him too, but she was betrothed to another, older man, who moved far away from Kalan's river and when he died, she came back to live by his river as an old, wise woman. Kalan was sad, and jealous of me, that I had gotten out of heartbreak so easily. When the old wise woman died, he left. I'd already found work at the bath house, which made him that much more jealous.

"Of course, when I left to find you, he'd thought he'd won the better hand. But when I did find you, he was envious that I had found my love...and he had to watch his die in front of his very eyes, a hundred or so years ago. He was determined to get the better of me. He felt pain, pain from losing his love, pain from knowing I was the more worshiped spirit, pain that I had taken all of his water supply. And so his hatred for me began.

"Yubaba took him on as an apprentice,"Haku groaned as I splashed water over his cut, "and when she had to leave to settle the dispute between the two River spirits, Kalan decided that if you or I were ever found in the bath house, we were to be given an hour or so to say goodbye...and then we were to die in the worst way possible. Yubaba didn't know that Kalan created the dispute to get revenge on me. He has the reason they are fighting. It's in his possession..." Haku groaned again as I wrapped the bandage tightly around him.

"What are they fighting over?" I asked.

"It's a River Rock," Haku replied weakly. "Not normal, either. It has special powers. And it belongs to the Yangtze river Spirit, who thinks that...the Yellow Sea Spirit took it. The Yellow Sea Spirit is being framed for something my BROTHER did!" He grimaced unhappily as I finished wrapping the bandage around him. "We have to retrieve the stone somehow. Then maybe they'll stop trying to wage war on each other."

"We?" I asked, worried, "Haku, you won't be able to do barely anything for a month. You just need to relax and recover."

Haku growled. "I will NOT be confined to this river," He protested, trying to stand up, but falling over as his knees buckled.

"Haku!"I cried, trying to help him up into a sitting position. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," He snarled unhappily, "I'll stay." Resistance to my orders hung in the air around him. Guilt of my attempt to disobey Haku filled me with dread that he would not listen and would try to leave before he had recovered.

"Now you know how _I _felt when you went to the bath house," He hissed, his eyes narrow slits.

"I'm sorry, Haku," I mumbled. "If I hadn't gone to the bath house, we wouldn't be in this situation right now. If I would have ran, years ago, when you told me to, I would have never have to have worried about you or the spirit world or-"

"If you would have listened to me," Haku murmured weakly, his hand brushing against my face lightly, "I would have died."

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Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! Please review, I promise I'll try to get the next part up as soon as possible...my busy schedule is busier lately. :P :(


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